Latest unemployment figures a mixed bag

Oregon's unemployment rate ticked up slightly to 5.5 percent in June, up from 5.3 percent in May. Eleven other states also recorded increases, with decreases reported in 21 states and 17 others unchanged.

Nationwide, the proportion of adults in the workforce — defined as those with jobs or looking for work — declined last month to the lowest level in 38 years. According to the government's jobs report released earlier this month, just 62.6 percent of people 16 and over are in the workforce. About half of that decline has occurred because of the increasing retirement of the baby boom generation, economists calculate. Some has occurred because younger people are more likely to be in school. But unemployed workers who have given up on their job hunts are also a big reason.

Yet steady hiring has been the predominant trend. Unemployment in Oregon was at 7 percent one year ago. Employers nationally have added nearly 3 million jobs in the past year. "The low workforce participation is a huge concern for the nursery industry," OAN Executive Director Jeff Stone said. "The lack of willing and available workers will place a cap on the growth of our industry if we as a country don't take steps to provide an adequate workforce."

New studies suggest bee health has improved globally

According to a report published recently by the Genetic Literacy Project website, the latest field research has found that neonicotinoid pesticides are not a driving cause of bee deaths. Pathogens such as Nosema disease and Varroa mites appear to be greater factors in bee mortality rates. Furthermore, the theory that pesticides — neonicotinoids in particular — work nefariously in tandem with pathogens and parasites is also suspect.

"We show that pesticide exposure and pathogen infection have not yet been found to interact to affect worker survival under field-realistic scenarios," concluded researchers in a
study published earlier in July.

Plant donations and volunteers needed for scholarship fundraiser

The OAN Clackamas Chapter's annual plant sale at the Clackamas County Fair is a fundraiser for scholarship funds and the Small Grant Award Program. This year, the sale is scheduled to take place Friday–Sunday, August 21–23.

Proceeds from the sale will help fund three scholarships offered through the Oregon Nurseries Foundation: the Clackamas Chapter Award, and the Ed Wood and Larry Fitzgerald Memorial Awards. The chapter also sponsors the Small Grant Award Program, which funds requests for horticultural supplies from area community colleges and high schools.

Plant donations can be dropped off the week of August 10 at these locations:

Simnitt Nursery, 138 NE 22nd Ave., Canby, 503-266-9640

Willamette Nurseries, 25571 S Barlow Rd., Canby, 503-263-6405

Champoeg Horticulture, 20177 Case Rd. NE, Aurora, 503-678-6031

Alternatively, plant material can be taken directly to the Clackamas County Fairgrounds (694 NE 4th Ave., Canby), on Friday, August 14 and Saturday, August 15.

Volunteers are also needed for the sale setup on August 15. For more information, contact Tom Brewer at 503-686-8448 (tbrewer@hc-companies.com) or Alex Cooper at 503-710-0539.

Washington state engulfed by severe drought

Severe drought conditions have spread to 98 percent of Washington, and state agencies warned last week that hardships are expected to grow for farms, fish and communities.

So far, 13 Washington counties, plus all the counties that border them, have been declared federal disaster areas because of the drought. All 39 counties may eventually qualify for federal drought relief, according to Department of Ecology Director Maia Bellon. The Washington Department of Agriculture estimated two months ago that crop losses would total $1.2 billion because of the drought, with losses particularly heavy in the Yakima Basin.

Cultivate'15 kicks off horticulture industry summer shows

Organizers of Cultivate'15, AmericanHort's signature exposition and convention, recently reported strong attendance figures of nearly 10,000 attendees. Held this past July 11–14 in Columbus, Ohio, the event gathered professionals from all aspects of the horticulture industry, including representatives from the Oregon Association of Nurseries who were there to distribute Nursery Guide and promote the upcoming Farwest Show.

"Many people we talked to during Cultivate'15 were excited to come to the Farwest Show later this August," said Allan Niemi, director of events, Oregon Association of Nurseries. "They really enjoy the show's fresh, new look. There was even a gentleman on the show floor sporting flowers in his own beard like our very own Farwest Fanatic."

The 2015 Farwest Show will feature a greenhouse-focused seminar presented by Peter Konjoian, one of the industry's leading researchers on the flourishing locally grown food movement. Konjoian's seminar, "From Flowers to Food," will challenge growers to take advantage of the tremendous opportunities in hydroponic food production in greenhouses and warehouses. He believes the demand for locally grown, quality edibles will continue to increase dramatically and holds vast potential for the imaginative grower.

"The developments and trends with impact on greenhouse growing are continuous," said Allan Niemi, director of events at the Oregon Association of Nurseries, producers of the Farwest Show. "Our greenhouse-related education will keep our attendees ahead of the game. They'll take away ideas and knowledge that build business and profit."

Farwest Show hotel discounts end soon

Looking for great hotel deals during your stay at the Farwest Show? It's easy to find and book the perfect hotel for your Farwest stay. We negotiated the lowest room rates at the best hotels for every budget. To ensure you receive our preferred rates, contact your hotel of choice now and mention our group code "Farwest Show." Cutoff dates for discounted rates begin to expire July 24. Find out more and book online.

Farwest Show volunteers needed!

The OAN event team is looking for volunteers to help make some of Farwest's features even more fun and memorable. Want to spend the day in Nursery Country? Attend some of the stellar seminars lined up for this year? Or how about compete against your fellow retailers to win some prizes in our container and merchandising competitions?

Participation opportunities include Tour Bus Captains, Seminar Moderators and Retail Competitors. To sign up and for more information, contact Crystal Cady at ccady@oan.org or 503-582-2006.

Register today for the 2015 International Trials Conference and save $50

Held in conjunction with the 2015 Farwest Show in Portland, Oregon, the prestigious
2015 International Trials Conference promises to be an incredible experience. Educational programming and tours will further the mission of encouraging the creation of universal evaluation criteria and collaboration among plant trial locations, resulting in more meaningful trial data.

Attendees who register before July 31 will save $50 off the regular price of $449. Student/teacher passes are also available for $199. For more information about the conference, visit www.FarwestShow.com/trials.shtml.

Register for the Farwest Show

Register today for the biggest green industry trade show in the West. The 2015 Farwest Show takes place Aug. 27–29 at the Oregon Convention Center in downtown Portland.

By attending, you will find far more to see, make far more connections with thousands of top industry professionals, and gain far more ideas. Bundle your Expo Pass with tours, seminars, pesticide classes or the Equipment Innovation Day, and save. Register now and grab the early bird discount to save even more.

International Trials Conference
♦ August 24-27 - If you conduct or use plant trials, register for this cutting-edge conference focusing on the latest research and techniques of trialing annual, perennial and woody plants.

Farwest Show
♦ August 27-29 - The 2015 Farwest Show is far beyond what you've come to expect from a green industry show. At Farwest — the biggest show in the West — you'll find far more to see, make far more connections with thousands of top industry connections, and gain far more ideas. Farwest: Far From Ordinary.

Farwest Tours
♦ August 26 - Grow your success and competitive advantage. Discover new varieties. Meet new growers and suppliers. Explore new ideas. And meet other wonderful people and leaders in our industry.

Farwest Keynote Speaker: Ron Rosenberg
♦ August 27 - Award-winning marketing and customer service expert Ron Rosenberg will bring his brand of business and professional development to Farwest to help growers, retailers, landscapers, wholesale buyers and suppliers discover hidden opportunities and then take action for positive outcomes. Free to registered Farwest attendees.

Farwest Pub Crawl
♦ August 27 - Join our "beer sherpas" and explore the best that Portland's local craft brewers have to offer! This fun networking event is open to all Farwest participants.

Looking to grow your business? Want to make the most of your marketing dollar? OAN offers a full portfolio of respected publications, events and electronic media that help you reach your targets, your way. As an OAN member, you get exclusive discounts on ads and sponsorships, and you can save even more by buying into multiple publications or issues. Download our 2015 Media Kit today for all the details. To schedule your ads for 2015, contact the OAN at 503-682-5089 or ads@oan.org.